Nepal’s chance for playoffs ends with loss against Bangladesh

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 2: Nepal’s chance to reach the playoffs of the ACC Men’s U-19 Asia Cup ended on Sunday after the team lost to defending champion Bangladesh by five wickets in Dubai.

After winning the toss, Bangladesh invited Nepal to bat first at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. However, Nepal could not deliver much with the bat; only three Nepali batsmen scored in double figures. 

Aakash Tripathi, the opener, was the highest scorer for Nepal as he added 43 off 77 deliveries. When Tripathi departed as the fifth wicket at the end of the 24th over, Nepal was at 73/5.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Uttam Magar and Abhisekh Tiwari were the other two to score in double digits; they both contributed 29 runs each. The quick departure of other players denied a decent total to Nepal despite batting until the 46th over; Nepal could only post a target of 142 runs to Bangladesh.

Six of the seven bowlers used by Bangladesh bagged at least a wicket against Nepal. While Saad Islam, Md Rafi Uzzaman Rafi and Azizul Hakim bagged one each, Al Fahad, Iqbal Hossain Emon and Rizan Hossan took two each.

On the other hand, Nepali youngsters could raise some hope while defending the paltry, but the game did not end in their favour.

Skipper Hemant Dhami gave the first relief to Nepal in the very first over as Kalam Siddiki was struck leg before. However, opener Zawad Abrar and in-at-three Azizul Hakim, also the captain of Bangladesh, did not allow Nepal to capitalise.

Abrar departed as the second wicket in the 20th over, but he had already scored a half-century by then; Abrar added 59 off 65 with five fours and four maximums. 

Skipper Hakim was at the crease until he saw the team register the second win in two matches of the group stage. Hakim stayed not out with a half century: 52 off 72 (2 fours, 3 sixes).

Nepali spinner Yuvraj Khatri was the most effective bowler for the team as he took consecutive wickets twice. 

Abrar was caught out in 19.1 overs during the spell of Khatri. Khatri then bowled out in-at-four Mohammad Shihab James for a golden duck in the next delivery. A similar scenario repeated in the 28th over when Khatri bowled out Farid Hasan and struck Rizan Hossan leg before in the final two balls.

Two teams from the two groups of four each will progress to the semi-finals. In Nepal’s group, Group B, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have four points from two games. 

Afghanistan and Nepal, with two losses in two games, have zero points. Thus, when Afghanistan and Nepal meet on December 3, both have no chance of challenging the top two despite a win; it will be a consolation win for the either one.